Matcha Melon Pan

Instructions

1. Prepare the bread dough
   In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups of bread flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add warm milk and beaten egg, mixing until incorporated. Add the softened butter and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour gradually. Form into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
2. Make the matcha cookie topping
   While the dough is rising, cream together the butter and sugar for the cookie topping until light and fluffy. Add the beaten egg and mix until incorporated. In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, matcha powder, and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until a soft dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Shape the bread
   After the bread dough has doubled in size, punch it down and divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball by pulling the dough from the sides and tucking underneath. Place the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rest for 15 minutes.
4. Create the melon pan pattern
   Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch circle between two pieces of plastic wrap. Remove the top plastic wrap and place the cookie dough over each bread dough ball, gently pressing to adhere. Using a sharp knife, score the cookie dough in a crisscross pattern to create the signature melon pan look.
5. Final rise and sugar coating
   Roll each covered dough ball in granulated sugar, coating the cookie layer evenly. Return to the baking sheet, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise for an additional 30 minutes or until noticeably puffy.
6. Bake the melon pan
   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the melon pan for 12-15 minutes, or until the cookie topping is set and lightly golden and the bread is cooked through. Be careful not to overbake as the matcha color can darken too much. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.